Troops Growing Disillusioned With Afghan War

After a decade of war in Afghanistan, exhaustive support for a corrupt government, and training and weaponizing security forces with loyalty to themselves and themselves only, many troops are losing confidence in the war effort. Their disillusionment was on display in a recent survey that showed less than half believe the mission is likely to succeed and over 40 percent disapproving of Barack Obama’s handling of the war.

Author: John Glaser

I'm shocked I tell you, shocked as shocked can be. The boots are sick of war? Well, go figure…

Jamie N

Its all about money that the troops that are being sacrificed don't bennifit from.They now realize that 9/11 was an inside job and the ones that don't no if OBL diud it what does that have to do with the country of Afganistan were more civilians are killed then anything.Most soldiers don't whant to m,urder innocent people.The ones that enjoy it deserve to be jailed and punnished.

Brad_Smith2

I would suggest that the support for Obama is even less and so is the support for the wars or even the belief that they will succeed. The problem is the way the survey is conducted. Although it is basically a secret ballot. It's also not a random survey of soldiers.

"Respondents included active-duty, reserve-component and retired service members, as well as military family members and defense contractors".

"These respondents do not effectively represent the demographics of the military as a whole. Few junior enlisted members responded, and officers and career-oriented troops are over-represented in our results".

50,000 requests were sent out to these people who subscribe. Less than 10% actually filled out the survey. Only 2% of those ask to participate who did so were active duty soldiers and even those were mostly "officers and career-oriented troops"

In my experience the gung ho types were always much more willing to support a war and overestimate it's chance of success. I don't think many joe's will low moral or who are not still big believers are likely to subscribe either.

So the actual numbers would be much worse because the average Joe was terribly under-represented.

Strider55

Why on earth were retirees even surveyed at all? They're certainly not taking part in the war anymore (if they ever did).

If I were in the service, I sure as hell wouldn't touch a survey like this regardless of the promises of confidentiality (which no one should trust). Pat Tillman came out against the war — look at what that got him.

Brad_Smith2

Right on. Once while I was in combat they flew the media into a small town were we were on patrol. They interviewed a few handpicked cheesers and told them what to say. Great interview (not). Not one of us was allowed anywere near a reporter who wasn't happy and willing to say exactly what we were told to. One of the phrases was "It's a walk in the park". (To this day I don't know why they picked that one, it wasn't.)

Needless to say I didn't make the evening news as anything but the guy standing in formation, while the other ground pounders shouted HOO WAA First Seargent, Bravo Rangers lead the way!!! (on command of course) Blah Blah Blah. I used to refuse to do the HOO WAA or however you spell it and I would get dropped. Get down and do some push ups soldier. Yes that stuff goes on well past basic training.

Steve H.

It's pretty hard to succeed at something if you can't even define what success looks like. I seriously doubt most of these soldiers could articulate why they are there, let alone how they'll achieve their "mission" and come home in one piece.

John Ellis

“forces with loyalty to themselves and themselves only…”

This is the problem, a fake morality and an upside-down instinct for survival — our life is more important then our integrity.

Surely a fake morality created by the rich nobility, instilled in us by all the corporate owned media and entertainment industry. For the moment we the people get moral, the moment we consider the security of others more important then our security, in an open air prison would go all the rich and nationalized would be all their excessive wealth.

masmanz

How do they know if the mission will succeed if they don't even know what the mission is?

guest

i guess theyre not real patriots then. LOL

Aarky

A young Marine named Dakota Meyers was just awarded the Medal ofr Honor by Obama. He asked if he could have a beer with the Prez and Obama consented. It's a pretty nice photo, both sitting on the patio behind the White House. Hopefully Meyers spoke up and told the Prez why he decided to get out and not re-up. He had used up all his chances and the Law of Probabilities was going to catch up to him like it has for too many of the soldiers who have been forced into additional tours.